How To Tow For Water Sports
Towing activities like tubing, skiing, and wakeboarding bring excitement to any day on the water, but without proper safety precautions, they can become dangerous. Recent high-profile accidents have increased awareness around water safety, making it more important than ever to follow best practices. Here are some key boating safety tips for enjoying the water in Indianapolis.
Stay in the Safe Zone
One of the most important things to remember about towing a skier, tuber, or boarder with your boat is establishing a safe zone that's well away from fixed obstacles like docks and shorelines. It's also essential to avoid shallow water on both sides of the boat.
The general length of a ski rope is about 75 feet, and once you add in a tow bridle or tube length, you're likely closer to 100 feet. It's best to consider this the bare minimum safe distance. Your safe zone with the boat in the middle should be about 300 feet.
Pay Attention to Speed
You might not realize it, but a tube travels about twice as fast as the boat. When you go through a turn at a leisurely 20 mph, the tuber is actually experiencing the turn at about 40 mph. This makes it even more important to avoid solid objects and shallow water.
Someone ejected from a tube will often travel a fairly long distance on top of the water before coming to a stop. This speed difference is why the safe zone mentioned above is so important. It's also important not to get carried away with how fast you drive the boat.
Avoid Towing in Congested Areas
One of the main dangers to tubers is other boats. It's common to see tubers in crowded waters, simply because the activity doesn't require flat water like skiing. Wakeboarders and skiers can hold their boards or skis above water to increase visibility, but tubers can only count on brightly colored life jackets.
That's why it's best to avoid towing in congested areas with a number of other boats. It's often difficult to see people in the water, but that's also why it's important to have a spotter while towing.
How To Retrieve a Person From the Water
You'll inevitably have to retrieve a fallen skier, boarder, or tuber while out on the water. The first step is to return to them as quickly as possible to put your boat between them and any other boats. However, you need to approach in a calm and controlled manner. Pay attention to your wake and don't circle too tightly. If you come in fast, then cut the engine, the wake can push the boat onto the person in the water.
Instead, approach the swimmer to the starboard side and turn the engine off as you draw alongside. The boat's momentum should carry it into a soft turn that brings it in front of the swimmer.
Expert Advice on Towing Tubes and Skiers from Reeder-Trausch Marine Indy
At Reeder-Trausch Marine Indy, we're experts in all things boating. If you're looking for your first boat or need to buy a new boat, our product specialists can fill you in on all the details. We can also answer questions about things like boating safety tips or local laws about boating. Our goal is to make sure you're well-informed about buying a boat and boating in general.
